5 Emotional Stages Of Deciding Whether Or Not To Go Out On Halloween

Every year I go through the same cycle of overly-dramatic feelings regarding Halloween. I hate it, I love it, I want it to be over already, I wish it would stick around. It's like I can't decide if I vehemently hate it or secretly love it. It seems like everyone around me has a really strong and stable opinion of Halloween. They're either into it or above it. I find the whole holiday incredibly stressful.

I miss the days of being a kid and not seeing Halloween as an option. It was just a fact that on October 31, I would not be wearing my usual garb to school. I'd be wearing whatever silly costume my mother sewed for me or whatever sweaty plastic mask I saved up for at the costume shop. And after school, I'd be forced to put an excess amount over outerwear over said costume, and I'd go meet my classmates in the neighborhood and we'd harass all of our neighbors for candy. And then we'd eat that candy every day for the next few weeks until it was gone or stale.

"Absolutely not."

In the beginning of the season, the stores fill with cheesy plastic spiders and cobwebs and you're like "Hell naw," and decide you're not even going to be phased by it. You're just going to let it quietly pass you by.

"Well...maybe?"

It does not quietly pass you by. It's in your face 24/7. You're starting to get Facebook invites to parties. You're starting to see some pretty funny costume ideas pop up in your newsfeed. You think "Maybe if I find something amazing, I'll do Halloween this year," but you're still not sure.

"Ugh, can it just be over already?"

By the time you're a few days out from the holiday, you feel like you've been dealing with it for ages. You've already seem hundreds of costumes online and you're just sick of it. And besides, it's too late to buy a costume now, isn't it?

"Wait, EVERYONE'S going out?"

All of a sudden Halloween is here and all of your friends are going out and even the ones who swore they wouldn't dress up have. You have the option of staying home and listening to the outside world have a blast around you, or bite the bullet and go out.

"I'M GOING OUT!"

You've just pulled together a mix and match goth kitty situation with your leather jacket and leggings and a mean cat eye and you're headed out. You won't feel overdressed or underdressed or self-conscious. And you're going to have a blast because your expectations couldn't be any lower.